This invention relates to improvements in spectroscopy and, more particularly, to the improvement at low cost of a slow scan, frequency limited spectrometer to a variable fast scan, frequency selective spectrometer.
Scanning spectrometers, such as monochromators, in the visible and infrared frequencies (and wavelengths) may be differentiated by the time necessary to make a complete spectral scan. Conventional (diffraction) grating instruments require times on the order of minutes to scan through an appreciable range (e.g., 200 to 500 nm). Very rapid scanning can be obtained by using a rotating mirror or other device with a conventional instrument. However, this can be done only over a limited wavelength interval (i.e., generally less than 10 nm). At the other end of the time (and cost) scale are the very fast scanning instruments which have become available in the last few years: optical multichannel spectrometers, and circular variable filter spectrometers. These devices are capable of scan times of less than 100 m sec. Unfortunately, their price places them out of reach for many applications.
Therefore, there exists in the art a need for a low cost variable fast scan, frequency selective (i.e., ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectrum) spectrometer.
I have fulfilled this need by improving, at minimum cost, a low priced, slow scan, frequency limited spectrometer; and, thereby, I have significantly advanced the state-of-the-art.